Tire sensor installation structure and manufacturing method thereof

ABSTRACT

The disclosed technology generally relates to an installation structure for installing a sensor module, and more particularly relates to an installation structure for installing a sensor module on a tire, and to a method of manufacturing the installation structure. In one aspect, the installation structure includes a sensor module housing configured to accommodate a sensor module and at least one sensor patch each comprising a bonding portion configured to attach to an inner side of a tire and a pressing portion configured to place and maintain the sensor module housing in contact with an installation position on the inner side of the tire. The pressing portion is configured to apply a downward pressure on a top portion of the sensor module housing by elastically extending and contracting.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/351,158, filed Nov. 14, 2016, which claims foreign priority to KoreanPatent Application No. 10-2015-0159878, filed on Nov. 13, 2015. Thedisclosure of each of these applications is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

Field

The disclosed technology generally relates to an installation structurefor installing a sensor module, and more particularly relates to aninstallation structure for installing a sensor module on a tire, and toa method of manufacturing the installation structure.

Description of the Related Technology

Recently, a system that provides various items of information to adriver by processing data such as internal air pressure, temperature,and acceleration of tires collected by sensor modules installed in thetires has been developed and commonly used.

Tires are rotated at high speeds and rapidly accelerated and deceleratedwhile vehicles are driven, so when a sensor module is arranged in thetires, it is exposed to lateral force in various directions androtational moment etc. under these conditions. Accordingly, structuresfor firmly and reliably install sensor module in a tire have beendeveloped.

Various methods of attaching sensor module to tiers have been developed,and for example, as for a bonding type that uses an adhesive, theattachment ability is necessarily deteriorated by heat that is generatedin a tire while vehicle runs. Further, when sensors are attached to thematerial of a tire such as a bead and a rim, attachment is not stable,so it may be a factor that threatens the safety of passengers, and theparts of the sensors may be damaged when the tire is mounted andseparated.

In US Patent Application Publication No. 2001-870569 (titled, “pneumatictire monitor, hereafter, referred to as Patent Document 1), there hasbeen disclosed a system for monitoring a pneumatic tire that includes atire, a transponder arranged on the tire and having an antenna, one ormore receivers fixed to a vehicle, and a processor for processingreceived signals, in which the circuit of the transponder is formed on aprinted circuit board and accommodated in a protective housing coaxiallyarranged with a wheel hub shaft and the antenna is one of small couplingcoils adjacent to a partial loop antenna, a spiral antenna, a circulardipole antenna, and an infinite loop antenna.

SUMMARY OF CERTAIN INVENTIVE ASPECTS

Patent Document 1 has a first problem in that when the circuit board isfixed to a wheel hub shaft by specific support structures and mechanicalelements, the mechanical elements are likely to be separated due tovarious types and magnitudes of vibrations and shocks that are generatedwhile a tire is rotated, a second problem in that the circuit board isarranged only on the wheel hub shaft, so sensor module cannot bearranged at various positions in the tire, and a third problem in thatsensors that sense wear etc. cannot be used.

In various embodiments, the installation structure includes one or moresensor patches. Each sensor path is made of an elastic material and hasa bonding portion for coupling to the inner side of a tire and apressing portion for bringing a sensor module housing in close contactwith an installation position. The installation structure providesadvantages of conveniently mounting and separating a sensor module,being applicable to various sensors and various positions, and improvingreliability of mounting the sensor module, among other advantages.

In order to solve the problems, in one aspect, a sensor installationstructure includes: a sensor module housing accommodating the sensormodule; and one or more sensor patch having a bonding portion that isattached to the inner side of a tire and a pressing portion that bringsand maintains the sensor module housing in close contact with aninstallation position, in which the pressing portion presses down thetop of the sensor module housing by extending and contracting.

The sensor module housing may have a fixing projection having apredetermined shape on the top, the sensor patch may have a fixing holein which the fixing projection is inserted, and the fixing hole and thefixing projection may be fitted to each other to prevent the sensormodule housing from laterally separating out of the installationposition.

The sensor patch may be a rectangular or elliptical band and the bondingportion may be formed at both sides of the band.

Two or more sensor patches may be provided and the two or more sensorpatches may be arranged across each other and the pressing portions areall arranged over the installation position.

The sensor patch may be formed in the shape of any one of a circle, anellipse, and a polygon, the bonding portion may be formed with apredetermined width around the entire or a portion of the edge of thesensor patch, a sensor insertion hole that is expanded and then restoredto the initial size, after the sensor module housing is inserted, may beformed at a predetermined position of the pressing portion, and thesensor module housing may be fixed in a space defined by the sensorpatch and the inner side of the tire.

A fixing projection having a predetermined shape may be formed on thetop of the sensor module housing, and the sensor insertion hole may befitted on the fixing projection and may prevent the sensor modulehousing from laterally separating out of the installation position.

The material of the sensor patch may be at least one or morehomopolymers selected from a group of EVA (Ethylene vinyl acetate),synthetic resin, natural resin, and urethane, or copolymers of monomersof them.

The structure may be formed on an inner liner of a tire.

The sensor patch may have thickness of 20˜120% of the thickness of theinner liner.

The sensor patch may be made of the same material as the inner liner.

The bonding portion and the inner side of the tire may be combined by abonding process or a fusing process.

The bonding portion and the inner side of the tire may be combined byvulcanization, and an anti-pressing portion-tire attachment structuremay be provided under the pressing portion before vulcanization in orderto prevent the surface of the pressing portion and the inner side of thetire from being attached to each other in the vulcanization.

The anti-pressing portion-tire attachment structure may be made of ahigh-temperature polymer that is not melted at a temperature forvulcanization.

The anti-pressing portion-tire attachment structure may have thicknessthat is 20 to 50% of the thickness of the sensor patch.

The anti-pressing portion-tire attachment structure may have an ejectorthat can be held with a hand to easily remove the anti-pressingportion-tire attachment structure.

In another aspect, a method of using the tire sensor installationstructure includes: extending upward the sensor patch by applying forceto the pressing portion; putting the sensor module housing under thepressing portion; fitting the fixing hole onto the fixing projection;removing the force extending the sensor patch so that the sensor patchcontracts and presses down the sensor module housing; and maintainingthe sensor module housing in close contact with the inner side of thetire using the sensor patch.

The method may further include applying a temporal or permanent adhesiveto a portion of the sensor patch before the extending upward the sensorpatch by applying force to the pressing portion.

In yet another aspect, a method of using the tire sensor installationstructure includes: forcibly expanding the sensor insertion hole;inserting the sensor module housing through the expanded sensorinsertion hole; removing the force expanding the sensor insertion holeso that the sensor patch contracts and the pressing portion presses downthe sensor module housing; and maintaining the sensor module housing inclose contact with the inner side of the tire using the sensor patch.

The tire may include one or a plurality of tire sensor installationstructures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a tire sensor installation structureaccording to various embodiments, including a band type and a typehaving a sensor insertion hole.

FIG. 2 is a plan view illustration of a tire sensor installationstructure according to embodiments.

FIGS. 3(a)-3(c) are plan view illustrations of sensor patches, accordingto embodiments.

FIG. 4 is a plan view illustration of a tire sensor installationstructure having two sensor patches, according to embodiments.

FIG. 5 is a plan view illustration of a tire sensor installationstructure having three sensor patches, according to embodiments;

FIG. 6 is a plan view illustration of a tire sensor installationstructure having a sensor patch, according to embodiments.

FIG. 7 is a plan view illustration of a tire sensor installationstructure having a sensor patch, according to embodiments.

FIGS. 8(a) and 8(b) are plan view illustrations of sensor patch shapeshaving a sensor insertion hole, according to embodiments.

FIGS. 9(a) and 9(b) are plan view illustrations of tire sensorinstallation structures having a sensor insertion hole, according toembodiments.

FIGS. 10(a) and 10(b) are plan view illustrations of tire sensorinstallation structures having a sensor insertion hole, according toembodiments.

FIGS. 11(a)-11(c) are cross-sectional views illustrating ananti-pressing portion-tire attachment member formed in a film shape, inoperation, according to various embodiments, including a band type and atype having a sensor insertion hole.

FIGS. 12(a)-12(c) are cross-sectional views illustrating a projectiveanti-pressing portion-tire attachment member, in operation, according tovarious embodiments, including a band type and a type having a sensorinsertion hole.

FIGS. 13(a)-13(c) are cross-sectional views illustrating a projectiveanti-pressing portion-tire attachment structure, in operation, accordingto embodiments having a sensor insertion hole.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

The present invention may be modified in various ways and implemented byvarious exemplary embodiments, so that specific exemplary embodimentsare shown in the drawings and will be described in detail. However, itis to be understood that the present invention is not limited to thespecific exemplary embodiments, but includes all modifications,equivalents, and substitutions included in the spirit and the scope ofthe present invention. Like reference numerals are given to likecomponents in the description of the drawings.

It should be understood that when one element is referred to as being“connected to” or “coupled to” another element, it may be connecteddirectly to or coupled directly to another element or be connected to orcoupled to another element, having the other element interveningtherebetween. On the other hand, it is to be understood that when oneelement is referred to as being “connected directly to” or “coupleddirectly to” another element, it may be connected to or coupled toanother element without the other element intervening therebetween.

Terms used in the present specification are used only in order todescribe specific exemplary embodiments rather than limiting the presentinvention. As used herein, the singular forms are intended to includethe plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicatesotherwise.

It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” or “have” usedin this specification, specify the presence of stated features, steps,operations, components, parts, or a combination thereof, but do notpreclude the presence or addition of one or more other features,numerals, steps, operations, components, parts, or a combinationthereof.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will bedescribed in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.The same components are given the same reference numerals in thedrawings and repeated description is not provided for the samecomponents.

The present disclosure relates to a sensor installation structure forinstalling a sensor module collecting data about the states of a tire atan installation position 3 on the inner side of the tire and thestructure largely includes a sensor module housing 10 accommodating asensor module and one or more sensor patch 20 having a function ofbringing and keeping the sensor module housing 10 in contact with theinstallation position 3.

Hereinafter, each component will be described.

The sensor module housing 10 has a first function of accommodating asensor module, a second function of having a shape with a top presseddown by a sensor patch 20 to be described below, and a third function ofhaving a specific structure for preventing the sensor module housing 10separating from the installation position 3 by enhancing the combinationof the sensor patch 20 and the sensor module housing 10.

In the present disclosure, the sensor module includes one or more sensordevices and a board mounted with the sensor devices and may include acommunication device and an antenna for receiving signals from anexternal controller or transmitting data about the inside of a tire/aroad surface collected by the sensor devices. The information that thesensor devices collect may include the internal temperature and internalpressure of a tire, the state of a road surface, the degree of wear atpredetermined portions of a tire, the driving states of a vehicle, andthe longitudinal and lateral acceleration of a tire, but it not limitedthereto.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a tire sensor installation structureaccording to various embodiments, including a band type and a typehaving a sensor insertion hole. FIG. 2 is a plan view illustration of atire sensor installation structure according to embodiments. In theillustrated embodiments, the sensor housing 10 has a structureconfigured to firmly hold a sensor module therein and the shape of thebottom of the sensor module may have a suitable shape, including, e.g.,a rectangle (square), a polygon, a circle, and an ellipse, among othershapes. Further, in the illustrated embodiment, the sensor housing 10has a top portion that is configured to resist a downward pressure fromthe sensor patch 20 as described herein and elsewhere in thisspecification, and the top portion has the same shape as the bottomportion. However, other embodiments are possible, e.g., the bottomportion of the sensor housing 10 may be designed to be larger in areathan the top portion in order to be stably brought in close contact withthe inner side of a tire.

Further, the sensor module housing 10 may further have a structureconfigured to prevent the sensor module housing 10 from separating fromthe installation position 3, which relates to the sensor patch 20, asdescribed infra.

The sensor patch 20 may be have various structural configurations,including an embodiment having a band shape elongated in a direction andan embodiment in which the entire (or a portion of) the edge of thesensor patch 20 is a bonding portion. According to the former one, abonding portion is formed at both ends of a band shape and a pressingportion is formed between the bonding portion, so the sensor modulehousing 10 is inserted under the pressing portion from a side of thepressing portion. However, it is impossible or difficult to insert thesensor module housing under the pressing portion from a side of thepressing portion, so a sensor insertion hole is formed at apredetermined portion of the sensor patch 20. The former and latterembodiments are described hereafter. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional viewshowing both of the band type embodiment and the embodiment with asensor insertion hole.

First Embodiment—Band Type

FIGS. 3(a)-3(c) are plan view illustrations of sensor patches, accordingto embodiments. In the illustrated embodiments, a sensor patch 20 hasbonding portions 21 at predetermined portion close to the edge to becoupled to the inner side of a tire and a pressing portion 22 forbringing and keeping the sensor module housing 10 in close contact withan installation position 3. In the sensor patch 20 that is a singlemember, the portion that is brought in contact with the inner side of atire may be called the bonding portion 21 and the portion that pressesdown the sensor module housing 10 by expanding and contracting incontact with the sensor module housing 10 may be called the pressingportion 22 (that is, the portion of the sensor patch 20 except thebonding portion 21 can be called the pressing portion 22). Further, thebonding portion 21 and the pressing portion 22 may be separately formedand then combined with each other.

The sensor patch 20 is supposed to have at least two bonding portions 21at both sides from the pressing portion 22. That is, the sensor patch 20of the present disclosure uses flexibility of the pressing portion 22between the bonding portions 21 at both ends with the bonding portions21 fixed to the inner side of a tire. In other words, the bondingportions 21 are formed at predetermined portions close to the edge ofthe sensor patch 20. For example, when the sensor patch 20 has arectangular (band) shape, the bonding portions 21 may be formed at areasclose to the two short sides (both ends of the band), in which the areaaround the two long sides is not open without being bonded to the innerside of a tire, thereby providing an entrance for inserting the sensormodule housing 10.

The sensor patch 20 is made of a flexible material, so the pressingportion 22 may change in length in the extension direction when thesensor module housing 10 is installed (installed state) or when thesensor module housing 10 is not installed yet or has been removed afterinstalled (separated state). The sensor patch 20 is usually made of anelastic material having a unique modulus of elasticity and contractionforce is generated in proportion to the changing length in the extensiondirection (Hook's Law). The contraction force is the pressure applieddownward to the top of the sensor module housing 10 by the sensor patch20 when the sensor module housing 10 is installed.

Still referring to FIGS. 3(a)-3(c), the shape of the sensor patch 20 mayinclude a circle, an ellipse, a rectangle, and other various shapes andthe shape of the pressing portion 22 may depend on the shape of thesensor patch 20. In particular, when it is a rectangle, it may be calleda band shape. The size of the pressing portion 22 should be determinedin consideration of the size of the sensor module housing 10. Further,the difference between the initial length in the extension direction ofthe pressing portion 22 and the length with the sensor module housing 10mounted (length after mounting) is also an object to be designed. Whenthe difference is too large, a specific portion of the sensor patch 20may excessively extend and break, and when the modulus of elasticity ofthe material of the sensor patch 20 is large, it may be difficult toinstall the sensor patch 20 because a large force is sometimes used toextend the sensor patch 20. Further, when the elasticity of the materialof the sensor patch 20 is small, it may be difficult to install thesensor patch 20.

However, referring to FIGS. 6 and 7 , the shape of the sensor patch 20may not be limited to a circle, an ellipse, and a rectangle. Even inthose cases, it is apparent that the sensor module housing 10 isinserted through the exposed portion at the sides of the pressingportion 22.

The bonding portion 21 may be formed in various shapes and the size isnot limited, but it should be considered that the larger the contactarea with the inner side of a tire of the bonding portion 21, the morethe coupling force between the inner side of the tire and the sensorpatch 20 can be increased, when determining the shape and size. Further,if the pressing portion 22 is increased in size, the bonding portion 21also should be increased in size.

Referring back to FIG. 1 , according to the embodiment shown at the leftside, the bonding portion 21 is integrated with the inner side of atire, so when seen from the outside, there may not be a step between theinner side of the tire and the top of the bonding portion 21 or the stepmay be smaller than the thickness of the sensor patch 20. This is anembodiment when the sensor patch 20 and the inner side of a tire arecoupled by vulcanization, in which the portion that will be the bondingportion 21 before vulcanization is melt and integrated with the innersurface of a tire during vulcanization. Accordingly, it should beunderstood that the bonding portion 21 exists even in this embodiment.

The thickness of the sensor patch 20 may be designed to be uniform, butif a specific portion further extends than other portions for thestructure, the portion may be set thicker, and in contrast, if aspecific portion less extends than other portions, the portion may beset thinner.

After the sensor module housing 10 is installed, a normal force isapplied to the inner side of the tire by the downward pressure from thesensor patch 20, but the force applied by the sensor patch 20 cannotcompletely prevent the sensor housing 10 from separating, because thesurface of the pressing portion 22 is not in contact with the inner sideof the tire. That is, this is because even though the sensor modulehousing 10 is installed under the sensor patch 20, the sensor modulehousing 10 can slide with respect to the sensor patch 20 and theinstallation position 3 if a shock parallel with the inner side of thetire is applied to the sensor module 10. Further, when the slidingdisplacement is accumulated, the sensor module housing 10 may be finallyseparated (removed) from the installation point 3.

Accordingly, the present disclosure describes the followingconfiguration to prevent the sensor module housing 10 from laterallyseparating from the installation position 3. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4to 7 , the sensor module housing 10 has a fixing projection, e.g., afixing protrusion, having a predetermined shape on the top, the sensorpatch 20 has a fixing hole in which the fixing projection 11 isinserted, and the fixing hole 23 and the fixing projection 11 can becoupled to each other.

Parameters relating to the shape of the fixing projection 11 may be theheight and the cross-sectional shape of the fixing projection 11. Itshould be noted that when the height of the fixing projection 11 is toosmall, it may be separated from the fixing hole 23 to be describedbelow. The cross-sectional shape of the fixing projection 11 may includevarious shapes such as a circle, an ellipse, and a (regular) polygon,but it may be a circle, considering easiness of fitting in considerationof the shape of the fixing hole 23 formed in the sensor patch 20.Although the inside of the fixing projection 11 may be an empty space, astructure such as an antenna for the sensor module may be arranged inthe space, considering the geometric characteristic that it protrudesoutward.

Although the fixing hole 23 may be formed in various shapes, when it hasa circular shape and even if the cross-sectional shape of the fixingprojection 11 is a circle, an ellipse, and a polygon, it may be possibleto receive all of these shapes. The fixing hole 23 is designed to belarger in size than the fixing projection 11, in which a couplingtolerance between the fixing hole 23 and the fixing projection 11 shouldbe considered. Further, since the sensor patch 20 has elasticity, itshould be noted that the fixing hole 23 may be enlarged by the downwardpressure applied to the top of the sensor module housing 10 by thesensor patch 20.

In one tire sensor installation structure installation structure, one ormore sensor patches 20 may be provided, and particularly, when two ormore sensor patches 20 are provided, the downward pressure that can beapplied by the sensor patches 20 is larger, so a sensor module can bemore firmly installed. Further, when two or more sensor patches 20 areprovided, they may be arranged across each other and the pressingportions 22 may all be arranged over the installation positions 3.Further, when the sensor patches 20 are arranged at the same anglesaround the installation position 3, it may be easier to secure balanceamong forces applied to the sensor module housing 10. Referring to FIGS.4 and 5 , when two sensor patches 20 are provided, they are arranged inthe shape of ‘+’, and when three sensor patches 20 are provided, theyare arranged in the shape of ‘*’, but the present disclosure is notlimited thereto.

However, arranging two or more sensor patches 20 with regular intervalsin accordance with the shape of the sensor module housing 10 make thesum of rotational moment zero, so it should be considered that thesensor module housing 10 is turned over and separated from theinstallation position 3 by a shock.

The material of the sensor patch 20 may include one or more homopolymersselected from a group of EVA (Ethylene vinyl acetate), synthetic resin,natural resin, and urethane, or copolymers of monomers of them.Obviously, latex may be used. It is desirable to design the componentsof the sensor patch 20 such that a predetermined elasticity ismaintained.

Referring back to FIG. 1 , the tire sensor installation structure of thepresent disclosure may be formed on the inner surface of a tire, may beformed on the inner side wall of a tire, a rim, or an inner liner, andmay be formed on an inner liner 2 of a tire. In this case, the sensorpatch 20 may have a thickness of 20˜120% of the thickness of the innerliner 2. Considering the thickness of the inner liner 2 of a 16 inchtire is generally 1.5 mm, when it is less than 20%, the sensor patch 20is too thin, so a problem may occur with the durability, for example,breaking of the sensor module housing 10 when it is inserted. Further,when it is larger than 120%, an increase in weight at a correspondingportion may exceeds an ignorable level when or after the sensor patch 20is attached, so non-uniform centrifugal force is locally generated,which may cause a problem such as uneven wear of the tire.

Further, when the sensor patch 20 is formed on the inner liner 2, thematerial of the sensor patch 20 may be the same as that of the innerliner 2, which is determined in consideration that when the sensor patch20 and the inner liner 2 are combined by particularly vulcanization, asdescribed above, it is possible to maximize the coupling effect evenwithout using a specific adhesive.

Next, a method of manufacturing a tire sensor installation structure ofthe present disclosure including the process of combining the sensorpatch 20 and the inner side of a tire will be described.

The process of combining the bonding portion of sensor patch 20 and theinner side of a tire may be composed of a combining process, a bondingprocess, or a fusing process. The bonding process uses an adhesivehaving predetermined components and the fusing process partially meltsthe bonding portion 21 or a predetermined portion of the inner side of atire by heating it and then bonding a bonding portion 21 to thepredetermined portion inside the tire under pressure. The composition ofthe adhesive to be used or the melting temperature in the fusing processshould be selected differently in accordance with the composition of theinner side of a tire or the composition of the sensor patch 20.

The bonding portion 21 and the inner side of a tire may be combined byvulcanization. Vulcanization is a process of putting a non-vulcanizedgreen tire into a vulcanizing mold, and forming a tire in apredetermined shape and ensuring desired properties of the tire byapplying heat and pressure, and can be used to combine the sensor patch20 and the inner side of a tire (inner liner 2) in the presentdisclosure.

Before vulcanization, the sensor patch 20 and the inner side of the tire(inner liner 2) may be prepared by physically abutting (non-contacttype), but it may be possible to temporarily bond the bonding portion 21to the inner side of the tire using a predetermined adhesive. Further,it may be possible to put an anti-pressing portion-tire attachmentstructure 30 under a pressing portion 22 before vulcanization in orderto prevent the surface of the pressing portion 22 of a sensor patch 20and the inner side of a tire from being attached to each other. Theanti-pressing portion-tire attachment structure 30 should be made of ahigh-temperature polymer of which at least the surface is not melted atthe temperature for vulcanization.

FIGS. 11(a)-11(c) are cross-sectional views illustrating ananti-pressing portion-tire attachment member formed in a film shape, inoperation, according to some embodiments, including a band type and atype having a sensor insertion hole. As illustrated, the anti-pressingportion-tire attachment structure 30 may be a thin film, in which it ispossible to minimize the initial length of a pressing portion in theextension direction and this embodiment may be applied when a sensormodule housing 10 to be used is small in height. Other embodiments arepossible. For example, FIGS. 12(a)-12(c) are cross-sectional viewsillustrating a projective anti-pressing portion-tire attachment member,in operation, according to some other embodiments, including a band typeand a type having a sensor insertion hole. In contrast to embodimentsillustrated with respect to FIGS. 11(a)-11(c), in FIGS. 12(a)-12(c),when a selected sensor module housing 10 is high, an anti-pressingportion-tire attachment structure 30 having a projective shape with apredetermined height may be used. This is because when the film-shapedanti-pressing portion-tire attachment structure 30 is used, thedeformation amount (length) of the pressing portion 22 is too large andthe sensor patch 20 breaks or a sensor module housing 10 may not beinstalled.

The thickness of the anti-pressing portion-tire attachment structure 30may be 20˜50% of the thickness of the sensor patch 20. When thethickness is larger than 50% of the thickness of the sensor patch 20,pressure may be non-uniformly applied in vulcanization, and when it issmaller than 20%, the patch excessively extends when the sensor modulehousing 10 is inserted, a problem such as breaking may occur.

Further, the anti-pressing portion-tire attachment structure 30 shouldbe removed after the bonding portion 21 of the sensor patch 20 isattached to the inner side of a tire by vulcanization, but it may beremoved any time before the sensor module housing 10 is installed.

In short, the process of combining a bonding portion 21 and the innerside of a tire using vulcanization includes a vulcanization-preparingstep and a vulcanizing step, and the anti-pressing portion-tireattachment structure 30 is installed between the pressing portion 22 andthe inner side of the tire before the vulcanizing step.

A method of using a tire sensor installation structure of the presentdisclosure is described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 . The tiresensor installation structure may be used before or after a tire isdelivered from a warehouse.

First, the sensor patch 20 is extended upward by applying force to thepressing portion 22. Before this step, a step of applying a permanent-or temporary-fixing adhesive to a portion of the sensor module housing10 may be further included. The adhesive force of the temporal-fixingadhesive may not need to be strong, but an adhesive with strong adhesiveforce may be used to permanently fix the sensor module housing 10 to afixing portion. When an adhesive is additionally applied, the adhesiveforce of the adhesive can be added to the pressing force by the sensorpatch 20, such that the sensor module housing 10 can be more firmlymounted. Further, when two or more sensor patches 20 are provided, allof the sensor patches 20 are extended upward.

Second, the sensor module housing 10 is placed under the pressingportion 22. Since the sides of the pressing portion 22 are open, thesensor module housing 10 is inserted through a side of the pressingportion 22.

Third, the fixing projection 11 of the sensor module housing 10 and thefixing hole 23 of the sensor patch 20 are fitted to each other. Further,when two or more sensor patches 20 are provided, the center of thefixing holes 23 of each of the sensor patches 20 are aligned prior tofitting the fixing projections 11.

Further, the force extending the sensor patch 20 is removed to that thesensor patch 20 contracts and presses downward the sensor module housing10. Fifth, the sensor patch 20 maintains the sensor module housing 10 inclose contact with the inner side of the tire.

Although only one tire sensor installation structure of the presentdisclosure may be provided to a tire, a plurality of tire sensorinstallation structures may be provided. In general, the stateinformation of a tire collected from the tire such as lateral forceapplied to the inner side of the tire and acceleration depends on thelateral position of the tire, so when a plurality of tire sensorinstallation structures is provided, the tire sensor installationstructure may be positioned on a circle connecting one lateral position,but is not limited thereto. Further, when a plurality of tire sensorinstallation structures is provided, the tire sensor installationstructures may be arranged with regular intervals, because the tiresensor installation structures influence the moment of inertia of atire, so an asymmetric tire sensor installation structure may not securebalance of a tire. When two tire sensor installation structures areprovided, they may be arranged at 180 degrees, and when three tiresensor installation structures are provided, they may be arranged at 120degrees. However, these configurations are limited only to the case whentire installation structures are the same, but even if tire sensorinstallation structures are the same, they are not necessarily arrangedwith regular intervals.

Second Embodiment—Type Having a Sensor Insertion Hole

Referring to FIGS. 8(a) and 8(a), a sensor patch 20 may be formed in anyone of a circular shape, an elliptical shape, and a polygonal shape, asensor insertion hole 27 that is expanded and returned to the initialsize after the sensor module housing 10 is inserted may be formed at apredetermined position of the pressing portion 22, and the sensorhousing module 10 may be fixed in a space defined by the sensor patch 20and the inner side of the tire.

It is apparent that this embodiment also includes a sensor modulehousing 10 including a sensor module and one or more sensor patches 20having a bonding portion 21 that is attached to the inner side of a tireand a pressing portion 22 that brings and maintains the sensor modulehousing 10 in close contact with an installation position 3, in whichthe pressing portion 22 presses down the top of the sensor modulehousing 10 by extending and contracting.

In the sensor patch 20 that is a single member, the portion that isbrought in contact with the inner side of a tire may be called thecoupling portion 21 and the portion that presses down the sensor modulehousing 10 by expanding and contracting in contact with the sensormodule housing 10 may be called the pressing portion 22 (that is, theportion of the sensor patch 20 except the coupling portion 21 can becalled the pressing portion 22). Further, the coupling portion 21 andthe pressing portion 22 may be separately formed and then combined witheach other.

That is, the sensor patch 20 of the present disclosure uses flexibilityof the pressing portion 22 with the bonding portions 21 fixed to theinner side of a tire.

FIGS. 9(a)-10(b) are plan view illustrations of tire sensor installationstructures having a sensor insertion hole, according to embodiments. Asillustrated, the bonding portion 21 may be formed with a predeterminedwidth around the edge of the sensor patch 20, but may be formed only ata predetermined portion around the edge. The bonding portion 21 may beformed in various shapes and the size (the width) is not limited, but itshould be considered that the larger the contact area with the innerside of a tire of the bonding portion 21, the more the coupling forcebetween the inner side of the tire and the sensor patch 20 can beincreased, when determining the shape and size. Further, if the pressingportion 22 is increased in size, the bonding portion 21 also should beincreased in size.

The sensor patch 20 is made of a flexible material, so the pressingportion 22 may change in area when the sensor module housing 10 isinstalled (installed state) or when the sensor module housing 10 is notinstalled yet or has been removed after installed (separated state). Thesensor patch 20 is usually made of an elastic material having a uniquemodulus of elasticity and contraction force is generated in proportionto the changing degree in the extension direction (Hook's Law). Thecontraction force is the pressure applied downward to the top of thesensor module housing 10 by the sensor patch 20 when the sensor modulehousing 10 is installed.

The size of the pressing portion 22 should be determined inconsideration of the size of the sensor module housing 10. Further, thedifference between the initial area of the pressing portion 22 and thearea with the sensor module housing 10 mounted is also an object to bedesigned. When the difference is too large, a specific portion of thesensor patch 20 may excessively extend and break, and when the modulusof elasticity of the material of the sensor patch 20 is large, it may bedifficult to install the sensor patch 20 because a large force may beused to extend the sensor patch 20. Further, when the elasticity of thematerial of the sensor patch 20 is small, it may be impossible toinstall the sensor patch 20.

Referring back to FIG. 1 (which is a cross-sectional view showing anembodiment having a sensor insertion hole 27), according to theembodiment shown at the left side, the bonding portion 21 is integratedwith the inner side of a tire, so when seen from the outside, there maynot be a step between the inner side of the tire and the top of thebonding portion 21 or the step may be smaller than the thickness of thesensor patch 20. This is an embodiment when the sensor patch 20 and theinner side of a tire are coupled by vulcanization, in which the portionthat will be the bonding portion 21 before vulcanization is melt andintegrated with the inner surface of a tire during vulcanization.Accordingly, it should be understood that the bonding portion 21 existseven in this embodiment.

The thickness of the sensor patch 20 may be designed to be uniform, butif a specific portion further extends than other portions for thestructure, the portion may be set thicker, and in contrast, if aspecific portion less extends than other portions, the portion may beset thinner.

After the sensor module housing 10 is installed, a normal force isapplied to the inner side of the tire by the downward pressure from thesensor patch 20, but the force applied by the sensor patch 20 cannotcompletely prevent the sensor housing 10 from separating out of theinstallation position, because the surface of the pressing portion 22 isnot in contact with the inner side of the tire. That is, even though thesensor module housing 10 is installed under the sensor patch 20, thesensor module housing 10 can slide with respect to the sensor patch 20and the installation position 3 if a shock parallel with the inner sideof the tire is applied to the sensor module 10, so the presentdisclosure proposes the following configuration to prevent the sensormodule housing 10 from separating from the installation position 3.

Referring to FIGS. 10(a) and 10(b), the sensor module housing 10 has afixing projection 11 having a predetermined shape on the top and thesensor insertion hole 27 is fitted o the fixing projection 11 andprevents the sensor module housing 10 from laterally separating from theinstallation position 3. That is, the sensor insertion hole 27 allowsfor insertion of a sensor and laterally fixes the sensor module housing10.

Parameters relating to the shape of the fixing projection 11 may be theheight and the cross-sectional shape of the fixing projection 11. Itshould be noted that when the height of the fixing projection 11 is toosmall, it may be separated from the sensor insertion hole 27. Thecross-sectional shape of the fixing projection 11 may include variousshapes such as a circle, an ellipse, and a (regular) polygon, but it maybe a circle, considering easiness of fitting in consideration of theshape of the sensor insertion hole 27 formed in the sensor patch 20.Although the inside of the fixing projection 11 may be an empty space, astructure such as an antenna for the sensor module may be arranged inthe space, considering the geometric characteristic that it protrudesoutward.

Although the sensor insertion hole 27 may be formed in various shapes,when it has a circular shape and even if the cross-sectional shape ofthe fixing projection 11 is a circle, an ellipse, and a polygon, it maybe possible to receive all of these shapes. The sensor insertion hole 27is designed to be larger in size than the fixing projection 11, in whicha coupling tolerance between the sensor insertion hole 27 and the fixingprojection 11 should be considered. Further, since the sensor patch 20has elasticity, it should be noted that the sensor insertion hole 27 maybe enlarged by the downward pressure applied to the top of the sensormodule housing 10 by the sensor patch 20.

The material of the sensor patch 20 may be at least one or morehomopolymers selected from a group of EVA (Ethylene vinyl acetate),synthetic resin, natural resin, and urethane, or copolymers of monomersof them. Obviously, latex may be used. It is desirable to design thecomponents of the sensor patch 20 in order to keep predeterminedelasticity.

Referring to FIG. 1 , the tire sensor installation structure of thepresent disclosure may be formed on the inner surface of a tire, may beformed on the inner side wall of a tire, a rim, or an inner liner 2, andmay be formed on an inner liner 2 of a tire. In this case, the sensorpatch 20 may have a thickness of 20˜120% of the thickness of the innerliner 2. Considering the thickness of the inner liner 2 of a 16 inchtire is generally 1.5 mm, when it is less than 20%, the sensor patch 20is too thin, so a problem may occur with the durability, for example,breaking of the sensor module housing 10 when it is inserted. Further,when it is larger than 120%, an increase in weight at a correspondingportion may exceeds an ignorable level when or after the sensor patch 20is attached, so non-uniform centrifugal force is locally generated,which may cause a problem such as uneven wear of the tire.

Further, when the sensor patch 20 is formed on the inner liner 2, thematerial of the sensor patch 20 may be the same as that of the innerliner 2, which is determined in consideration that when the sensor patch20 and the inner liner 2 are combined by particularly vulcanization, asdescribed above, it is possible to maximize the coupling effect evenwithout using a specific adhesive.

Next, a method of manufacturing a tire sensor installation structure ofthe present disclosure including the process of combining the sensorpatch 20 and the inner side of a tire will be described.

The process of combining the bonding portion 21 of sensor patch 20 andthe inner side of a tire may be composed of a combining process, abonding process, or a fusing process. The bonding process uses anadhesive having predetermined components and the fusing processpartially melts the bonding portion 21 or a predetermined portion of theinner side of a tire by heating it and then bonding a bonding portion 21to the predetermined portion inside the tire under pressure. Whenattached to each other, the bonding portion 21 and the innter side ofthe tire are attached through a bonded interface or a fused interface,depending on the attaching process employed. The composition of theadhesive to be used or the melting temperature in the fusing processshould be selected differently in accordance with the composition of theinner side of a tire or the composition of the sensor patch 20.Combination is performed in this process, here may not be a step betweenthe inner side of the tire and the top of the bonding portion 21 or thestep may be small.

The bonding portion 21 and the inner side of a tire may be combined byvulcanization. Vulcanization is a process of putting a non-vulcanizedgreen tire into a vulcanizing mold, and forming a tire in apredetermined shape and ensuring desired properties of the tire byapplying heat and pressure, and can be used to combine the sensor patch20 and the inner side of a tire (inner liner 2) in the presentdisclosure.

Before vulcanization, the sensor patch 20 and the inner side of the tire(inner liner 2) may be prepared by physically abutting (non-contacttype), but it may be possible to temporarily bond the bonding portion 21to the inner side of the tire using a predetermined adhesive. Further,it may be possible to put an anti-pressing portion-tire attachmentstructure 30 under a pressing portion 22 before vulcanization in orderto prevent the surface of the pressing portion 22 of a sensor patch 20and the inner side of a tire from being attached to each other. Theanti-pressing portion-tire attachment structure 30 should be made of ahigh-temperature polymer of which at least the surface does not melt, orundergoes a chemical structural change, at the temperature forvulcanization.

The anti-pressing portion-tire attachment structure 30 may be a thinfilm, in which it is possible to minimize the initial area of a pressingportion 22 and this embodiment may be applied when a sensor modulehousing 10 to be used is small in height.

In contrast, referring to FIGS. 13(a)-13(c), when a selected sensormodule housing 10 is high, an anti-pressing portion-tire attachmentstructure 30 having a projective shape with a predetermined height maybe used. This is because when the film-shaped anti-pressing portion-tireattachment structure 30 is used, the deformation amount (length) of thepressing portion 22 is too large and the sensor patch 20 breaks or asensor module housing 10 may not be installed.

The thickness of the anti-pressing portion-tire attachment structure 30may be 20˜50% of the thickness of the sensor patch 20. When thethickness is larger than 50% of the thickness of the sensor patch 20,pressure may be non-uniformly applied in vulcanization, and when it issmaller than 20%, the patch excessively extends when the sensor modulehousing 10 is inserted, a problem such as breaking may occur.

Further, the anti-pressing portion-tire attachment structure 30 shouldbe removed after the bonding portion 21 of the sensor patch 20 isattached to the inner side of a tire by vulcanization, but it may beremoved any time before the sensor module housing 10 is installed. Theanti-pressing portion-tire attachment structure 30 is removed throughthe sensor insertion hole 27, and to this end, as shown in FIG. 13 , andit is possible to make an ejector 31 that is integrated with theanti-pressing portion-tire attachment structure 30 and that a user holdsand pulls up with a hand when removing the anti-pressing portion-tireattachment structure 30 through the sensor insertion hole 27. However,when the ejector 31 is provided, it should be considered that there is aproblem in that the entire thickness of the anti-pressing portion-tireattachment structure 30 increases, thereby causing non-uniform pressurein vulcanization.

In short, the process of combining a bonding portion 21 and the innerside of a tire using vulcanization includes a vulcanization-preparingstep and a vulcanizing step, and the anti-pressing portion-tireattachment structure 30 is installed between the pressing portion 22 andthe inner side of the tire before the vulcanizing step.

A method of using a tire sensor installation structure of the presentdisclosure is described with reference to FIGS. 9(a) and 9(b). The tiresensor installation structure may be used before or after a tire isdelivered from a warehouse.

First, a user forcibly expands the sensor insertion hole 27. Before thisstep, a step of applying a permanent- or temporal-fixing adhesive to aportion of the sensor module housing 10 may be further included. Theadhesive force of the temporal-fixing adhesive does not need to bestrong, but an adhesive with strong adhesive force may be used topermanently fix the sensor module housing 10 to a fixing portion. Whenan adhesive is additionally applied, the adhesive force of the adhesiveis added to the pressing force by the sensor patch 20, so the sensormodule housing 10 can be more firmly mounted.

Second, the user puts the sensor module housing 10 under the pressingportion 22 by inserting it through the expanded sensor insertion hole27. As in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 10(a) and 10(b), when a fixingprojection 11 is formed on the sensor module housing 10, the sensorinsertion hole 27 of the sensor patch 20 and the fixing projection 11are fitted to each other.

Third, the user removes the force expanding the sensor insertion hole 27and pushing up the pressing portion 22 so that the sensor patch 20contracts and the pressing portion 22 presses down the sensor modulehousing 10.

Fourth, the user maintains the sensor module housing 10 in close contactwith the inner side of the tire with the sensor patch 20.

Although only one tire sensor installation structure of the presentdisclosure may be provided to a tire, a plurality of tire sensorinstallation structures may be provided. In general, the stateinformation of a tire collected from the tire such as lateral forceapplied to the inner side of the tire and acceleration depends on thelateral position of the tire, so when a plurality of tire sensorinstallation structure is provided, the tire sensor installationstructure may be positioned on a circle connecting one lateral position,but is not limited thereto. Further, when a plurality of tire sensorinstallation structures is provided, the tire sensor installationstructures may be arranged with regular intervals, because the tiresensor installation structures influence the moment of inertia of atire, so an asymmetric tire sensor installation structure may not securebalance of a tire. When two tire sensor installation structures areprovided, they may be arranged at 180 degrees, and when three tiresensor installation structures are provided, they may be arranged at 120degrees. However, these configurations are limited only to the case whentire installation structures are the same, but even if tire sensorinstallation structures are the same, they are not necessarily arrangedwith regular intervals.

Although the best mode of the present disclosure is proposed herein,examples for those skilled in the art to accomplish and use the presentdisclosure are provided to explain the present disclosure. The presentdisclosure is not limited to the detailed terminologies used herein.

Therefore, although the present disclosure was described in detail withreference to the example, those skilled in the art may change and modifythe examples without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.In short, it is not necessary to separately include all of the functionsshown in the drawings or follow the orders in the drawings in order toachieve the effects of the present disclosure, and it should beunderstood that those cases are also included in the scope of thepresent disclosure described in claims.

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to achieve; a firsteffect of not damaging the surface of an inner liner when installing asensor module and of not using an additional process because the sensorinstallation structure is formed in the process of manufacturing a tire;a second effect of improving workability for installing and removing asensor module; a third effect of installing a sensor module at variouspositions and using various sensor modules; and a fourth effect ofarranging sensor modules at various positions by making a sensor patchin various shapes such as a band shape of a shape with a sensorinsertion hole, and of firmly fixing sensor modules to the inner side ofa tire.

What is claimed is:
 1. A sensor installation structure configured forinstalling a sensor module for collecting data associated with a stateof a tire at an installation position of an inner side of the tire, theinstallation structure comprising: a sensor module housing configured toaccommodate the sensor module; and a sensor patch, wherein the sensorpatch is a single member comprising: a bonding portion formed only ateach opposing lengthwise ends of the single member and configured toattach to the inner side of the tire, and a pressing portion interposedbetween the bonding portions and configured to place and maintain thesensor module housing in contact with the inner side of the tire, or aninner liner of the tire when present, at the installation position,wherein the pressing portion is configured to apply a downward pressureon a top portion of the sensor module housing by elastically extendingand contracting, wherein the sensor module housing has a fixingprojection having a predetermined shape formed on a top portion thereof,wherein the sensor patch has a fixing hole configured for inserting thefixing projection, and wherein the fixing hole and the fixing projectionare configured to be coupled to each other such that the sensor modulehousing is prevented from laterally separating out of the installationposition, wherein the sensor patch has a shape selected from the groupconsisting of a circle, an ellipse and a polygon, and wherein eachbonding portion has a predetermined width around at least a portion ofedges of the sensor patch.
 2. The sensor installation structure of claim1, wherein the fixing hole is formed at a predetermined position of thepressing portion and configured to expand and to be restored to initialdimensions after the sensor module housing is inserted, and wherein thesensor module housing is fixed in a space defined by the sensor patchand the inner side of the tire.
 3. The sensor installation structure ofclaim 1, wherein the sensor patch is formed of one or more homopolymers,copolymers or monomers selected from a group consisting of ethylenevinyl acetate (EVA), synthetic resin, natural resin, and urethane. 4.The sensor installation structure of claim 1, wherein the sensorinstallation structure is formed on the inner liner of the tire.
 5. Thesensor installation structure of claim 1, wherein the sensor patch has athickness between about 20% and about 120% of a thickness of the innerliner.
 6. The sensor installation structure of claim 1, wherein thesensor patch is formed of the same material as the inner liner.
 7. Thesensor installation structure of claim 1, wherein each bonding portionand the inner side of the tire are attached to each other using abonding process or a fusing process such that a bonded interface or afused interface is formed therebetween.
 8. The sensor installationstructure of claim 1, wherein the sensor patch is configured to maintainthe sensor module housing in direct contact with the inner side of thetire or the inner liner of the tire when present.
 9. The sensorinstallation structure of claim 1, wherein the sensor installationstructure comprises a plurality of sensor patches each comprising thepressing portion and the bonding portion, and wherein the sensor patchescomprise four or more pressing portions that are arranged to have thesame angle between adjacent ones thereof around the installationposition to secure balance among forces applied to the sensor module.10. The sensor installation structure of claim 1, wherein each bondingportion and the inner side of the tire are attached by vulcanizationsuch that a vulcanized interface is formed therebetween, and ananti-pressing portion-tire attachment structure is provided under thepressing portion before the vulcanization to prevent the surface of thepressing portion and the inner side of the tire from being attached toeach other during the vulcanization.
 11. The sensor installationstructure of claim 10, wherein the anti-pressing portion-tire attachmentstructure is made of a high-temperature polymer that does not melt at atemperature of the vulcanization.
 12. The sensor installation structureof claim 10, wherein the anti-pressing portion-tire attachment structurehas a thickness that is between about 20% and about 50% of a thicknessof a sensor patch.
 13. The sensor installation structure of claim 10,wherein the anti-pressing portion-tire attachment structure has anejector configured to be held with a hand for easy removal of theanti-pressing portion-tire attachment structure.
 14. A method of usingtwo or more sensor patches each according to the sensor patch of thesensor installation structure of claim 1, the method comprising: holdingup the pressing portion of each of the two or more sensor patches;placing the sensor module housing under the pressing portion; couplingthe fixing hole with the fixing projection; releasing the pressingportion of each of the two or more sensor patches such that each of thetwo or more sensor patches contracts and presses down the sensor modulehousing; and maintaining the sensor module housing in close contact withthe inner side of the tire using each of the two or more sensor patches.15. A method of using the sensor installation structure of claim 2, themethod comprising: (a) forcibly expanding the fixing hole; (b) insertingthe sensor module housing through the fixing hole expanded in the step(a); (c) removing the force expanding the fixing hole so that the sensorpatch contracts and the pressing portion presses down the sensor modulehousing; and (d) maintaining the sensor module housing in close contactwith the inner side of the tire using the sensor patch.
 16. A tirecomprising one or more of the sensor installation structure of claim 1.